Cruising with kids is one of those things that sounds magical in theory. Unlimited food, constant entertainment, zero dishes, and your kids basically living their best life in a floating resort.
And honestly… it was magical. For the first few days at least.
But it was also the week I learned that a cruise ship is basically a fancy petri dish. So if you’re planning a cruise with kids (especially with babies/toddlers), I want to share the real highs and lows from our trip, plus the tips I’d 100% repeat next time, from packing to cabin organization to why bringing extra adults is the game changing move.
Table of Contents
- Why We Booked This Cruise (and Why It Was a Great Deal)
- Princess Cruise With Kids: The Vibe and Why We Like It
- The Biggest Tip I Can Give You: Bring Extra Adults
- The Highs: Why Cruising With Kids Really Can Be Amazing
- The Lows: We Got Sick (and It Moved Through Everyone)
- The “Worst Night” on the Cruise (Medical Drama Edition)
- My Best Packing and Organization Tips for a Cruise With Kids
- What I’d Do Differently Next Time
- Cruising With Babies and Toddlers: The Hardest Part
- The Best Age for a Cruise With Kids
- Would I Do It Again?
- More Family Travel Tips: Road Trips With Kids
- 📌 Save This for Later: Cruise With Kids Tips
- Cruise With Kids FAQs
Why We Booked This Cruise (and Why It Was a Great Deal)
This trip happened because my sister called with one of those “drop everything, it’s a killer deal” moments. A bunch of my family booked it too, and it turned into a full-on cousin/sibling cruise.
Six of my nine sisters were there with their spouses and some of their kids. It was one of those trips where you already know you’re going to make memories just because you have your people with you.
The itinerary was a classic: Galveston to Cozumel, Belize, and Roatán. I’ve done this route a million times on different cruise lines, so I felt pretty confident going in.
Princess Cruise With Kids: The Vibe and Why We Like It
We sailed with Princess Cruises, and I’m going to be honest: I think it’s a step up from Royal Caribbean and about ten steps up from Carnival.
Here’s why, especially for cruising with kids:
- The vibe is more relaxed and less “spring break energy.”
- The crowd is mostly older adults and established families, not a ship full of party people.
- You still get the fun stuff: nightly shows, events, a nightclub, dining, all of it. It just feels calmer.
Perfect vibes for traveling with kids!
The Biggest Tip I Can Give You: Bring Extra Adults
Stuart couldn’t get work off, and there was absolutely no way I was taking five kids on a cruise by myself. So I did the smartest thing I’ve ever done: I brought help.
I invited Victoria, Stuart’s sister, to be my right-hand woman. She even flew to me in St. Louis first, just to help me with all five kids on the flights down to Houston.
I also invited Stuart’s parents to come along. Because this cruise was such a great deal, they couldn’t pass it up. They also brought their youngest daughter, who’s in high school.
Our cabin setup
- We booked three inside cabins with multiple beds (Princess has those pull-down bunks).
- Victoria had two kids in one room
- I had three kids in my room
- My in-laws were supposed to be right down the hall, but Princess moved them to a different floor (annoying), but we made it work.
I couldn’t imagine surviving this cruise without the extra hands. If you can swing it, bring help.
The Highs: Why Cruising With Kids Really Can Be Amazing
Before I get into the chaos, I want to say this: my kids had a BLAST.
The first few days were amazing.
- Beautiful weather
- A great sea day
- Kids living for the pool and endless snacks
- Family time
- Total “wow, this is fun” energy
It was the kind of trip where your kids are happy, and you’re like, “Okay, this was a good choice.”
The Lows: We Got Sick (and It Moved Through Everyone)
This was the plot twist I didn’t see coming. I’ve been on 15+ cruises and have never gotten sick. Still, I know that it’s basically a floating petri dish, so I brought a full immunity lineup.
I packed things like:
And still… we got hit.
It started when we reached Cozumel. My father-in-law got sick and didn’t even get off the ship that day, and then it slowly moved through the rest of us, one by one.
It wasn’t stomach sickness. It was more like:
- fever-ish feeling
- congestion/head cold
- cough
The kids handled it way better than the adults, but I got it bad. The only reason I survived was that I had extra adults there to help with the kids while I stayed in the cabin and rested.
The “Worst Night” on the Cruise (Medical Drama Edition)
At the peak of me feeling terrible (swollen eyes, headache, congestion, just miserable), one of my kids came in and told me her ears hurt. Turns out she’d been dealing with it all day and didn’t say much until that night.
So we went to the medical area… and it was closed.
We had to call the ship’s emergency number, wait for a paramedic, and after a long ordeal, they prescribed amoxicillin for a double ear infection. It helped fast, and she needed it, but the cost was brutal. It ended up being around $350.
My Best Packing and Organization Tips for a Cruise With Kids
This is the information that will save you.
1) Bring a Hanging Shoe Organizer + Heavy-Duty Magnets
Every cruise ship wall I’ve ever met is magnetic, and this hack changed the entire cabin experience. I brought one of those hanging shoe organizers (the kind that goes behind a door), and I used strong magnetic hooks to stick it to the wall.
We used it for:
- sunscreen (love this roll-on stick version)
- supplements
- toothbrushes
- sunglasses
- little toys
- card games (all my favorites posted here)
- random cabin clutter
It freed up the counters and gave everything a home. No digging. No chaos piles.
2) Pack a Foldable Hamper
A pop-up hamper seriously saved my sanity, and takes almost no space in your luggage.
Kids will pull out seven outfits to wear one shirt. And then, suddenly, clean and dirty clothes are all mixed, and nobody knows what’s what. The hamper made it super clear: dirty goes here. I even did a load of laundry halfway through our trip.
3) Bring Sippy Cup Lid Toppers for Dining
Our dining room didn’t have cups with lids, and spills happen fast when your kids are excited and you’re not looking.
These sippy lid toppers fit onto the regular cups and make meals way easier.
4) Princess Medallions + Wristbands = Game Changer
Princess uses medallions instead of cards, and I ordered watch-style wristbands that the medallions pop into.
I told my kids:
“Do not take it off. You sleep in it. Swim in it. Eat in it.”
They wore them all week and didn’t lose them once. The medallions are used to:
- Open the cabin door automatically
- Track my kids in the app (lifesaver when she got turned around at the buffet)
- Made finding anyone in our huge group a cinch
What I’d Do Differently Next Time
If I could redo this cruise with kids, beyond not getting sick, here’s what I’d change:
1) Pack way more medicine than you think you need
I brought Tylenol and ibuprofen, but not enough for “everyone gets sick” levels. We ended up buying more on board, and it was expensive.
Next time I’d bring:
- kids’ and adults’ Tylenol
- kids’ and adults’ ibuprofen
- thermometer
- cough drops
- basic cold meds (whatever your family uses)
2) Plan clothing storage per kid
Cabin storage is tight, and between life jackets in the closet and limited drawers, it was hard to keep kids’ clothes organized.
Next cruise, I’d bring a hanging cubby organizer and pre-sort clothes per kid, so I’m not digging through piles.
Cruising With Babies and Toddlers: The Hardest Part
Walker is an angel baby. The hardest part wasn’t him being difficult or fussy, it was the schedule.
Cruise ships are built for:
- late dinners
- shows at night
- family game time in the evenings
- hanging out
Babies are built for:
- naps
- nursing
- bedtime
- routine
So I missed a lot of the evening fun because Walker needed to go down.
And it’s not just nursing babies. Any child who still needs a nap, a reasonable bedtime, or is a sensitive sleeper will affect what you’re able to do.
It’s not a bad thing, but it’s something to plan for. Even Malcolm (he’s 2) still needs a solid afternoon nap, so between his sleep schedule and Walker’s, I ended up spending a lot of time in the cabin.
The Best Age for a Cruise With Kids
Depending on your kids, age 4+ feels like the sweet spot.
- they’re past the major nap stage
- they can stay up a little later
- they’re more flexible
- you don’t feel like you’re spending half your cruise in a dark cabin
Would I Do It Again?
This is where I land: if someone had told me ahead of time we’d all get sick, I probably would’ve skipped this cruise. Of course, I had no way of knowing that illness was going to overtake us halfway through the trip.
But my kids had the best time. We made memories. They soaked up family time. And even with the hard parts, I’m glad we went.
I would just do it smarter next time.
More Family Travel Tips: Road Trips With Kids
If you’ve got more family travel coming up (or you’re reading this because you’re the designated “logistics parent”), you’ll love my post “Road Trip with Kids: 11 Essentials You’ll Wish You Packed”. It’s packed with the real-life stuff that keeps kids happy in the car, plus my favorite must-haves that make long drives way easier.
📌 Save This for Later: Cruise With Kids Tips
If you’re planning a cruise with kids (especially a big family trip), save this post so you’re not panic-packing the night before and trying to remember what worked.
Cruise With Kids FAQs
In my opinion, around age 4 and up is the easiest because they are usually past the heavy nap stage, can stay up a little later, and are more flexible with the schedule.
It can be, mostly because of naps, nursing, and bedtime. If your baby needs an early bedtime, you may miss shows and evening family hangouts unless another adult can stay in the cabin.
Pack more basics than you think you’ll need, especially: Kids’ and adults’ medications, a thermometer, sunscreen and after-sun lotion, sippy cup toppers, a foldable hamper, and a shoe organizer with magnetic hooks.
You can use onboard medical services, but it can be expensive. We had to call the ship’s emergency line when the medical area was closed and ended up paying a lot for a simple antibiotic prescription.
Yes, especially for families who want a calmer vibe. Princess feels less party-focused and more relaxed, but still has shows, events, and plenty to do.
Princess medallions are wearable devices that act like your room key and onboard ID. With wristbands, kids can wear them 24/7, so they don’t lose them, and you can also locate family members in the app, which is a huge help on a ship.
